Churchome pastor Judah Smith has dismissed claims that his Beverly Hills church is a cult.
The speculation began after TMZ reported that pop star Justin Bieber’s former business partner, Ryan Good, was concerned the singer’s place of worship had “become a cult.” Bieber, 31, has also faced ongoing media scrutiny over his mental health.
In a recent Instagram post, Smith, 46, responded light-heartedly while addressing his congregation: “Well, this was a first for me. I got out of my car and was immediately surrounded by paparazzi... All of a sudden this nice lady with her camera turned to me and said: ‘So is this a cult or not?’ I was like: ‘Oh my word, I wasn’t expecting that question.’”
Smith joked further: “So guys, if you could bring the snakes out... We’ve got some blood...” before mocking himself: “Alright Judah, you can’t start saying these things! People are recording you right now!”
He added: “If we’re a cult, we’re the worst cult in the history of all cults. We meet once a month, guys!”
Bieber later addressed the media attention on Instagram, writing: “They treat me like a** out here, but I remember that I am flawed and God forgave me.”
